Étienne Franconie

Étienne Franconie
Vice-agent of the Directory of Guiana
In office
November 1799 – January 1800
Preceded byÉtienne-Laurent-Pierre Burnel
Succeeded byVictor Hugues
Personal details
Born1731 (1731)
Died1805 (aged 73–74)

Étienne Franconie (1731 – 1805) was a French president of the Departmental Administration of French Guiana. He was French Guiana's provisional agent of the Directory in 1799-1800.

Biography

Étienne Franconie was born in 1731.[1]

Franconie was hostile to the Colonial Assembly in 1790, but would later join it.[2]: 139 

He was close to deportees from France; namely, Laffon de Ladébat and La Villeurnoys.[2]: 139–140 

In late 1799, Franconie led angry colonists to force French Guiana's agent, Burnel, to disband the black battalion, stop the state of siege and the requisitions. Burnel was removed from his functions after swearing vengeance and sent back to France.[3]: 142–143  Étienne Franconie took power under the title of vice-agent of the Directory.[4]: 11 

Franconie ruled from November 1799[5]: 153  to Victor Hugues' arrival in early January 1800 (Hugues had been named agent of the Directory of Guiana in August 1799).[2]: 174  He received assistance from Laffon de Ladébat, François Barbé-Marbois,[3]: 143  Paguenaut, Ménard and Laborde. His first act as vice-agent was to empty Cayenne of its black denizens, with only partial success.[2]: 174  Franconie brought back order, respect of the law and regular tax collection in French Guiana.[3]: 143 

Slaves captured by privateers arriving in Cayenne on 4 January 1800 were forced to work on plantations.[2]: 143 

Franconie died in 1805.[1]

Legacy

Étienne Franconie is also known for his famous descendants.[1] The Franconie Library is named after his son, Alexandre Franconie, whose collection of 6,000 books was donated to the library.[4]: 11 [6]: 162–163  His grandson Gustave Franconie was a deputy at the French Chamber of Deputies for Guiana. Another grandson, Élie Franconie, was the first elected mayor of Cayenne.[4]: 11 

References

  1. ^ a b c "Les Franconie, une famille très guyanaise". franceguyane.fr (in French). 2008-12-09. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
  2. ^ a b c d e Bénot, Yves (1997). La Guyane sous la Révolution (in French). Ibis Rouge Éditions. ISBN 978-2-911390-25-8.
  3. ^ a b c Henry, Arthur (1981). La Guyane française: son histoire, 1604-1946 (in French) (1981 ed.).
  4. ^ a b c Richard, Henry (1906). Notice historique sur la Guyane française (PDF) (in French). Paris: Union des arts graphiques.
  5. ^ Jean-Louis, Paul (1967). "Trois gouverneurs militaires en Guyane, le contre-amiral de Montravel, le général Hennique, le colonel Loubère". Revue historique des Armées. 23 (3): 153–164. doi:10.3406/rharm.1967.6123.
  6. ^ Flohic, Jean-Luc; Fondation Clément (2016). Le patrimoine des communes de la Guyane (in French). Attique Éditions. ISBN 978-2-915987-08-9.